Olympic Champion Brandon Slay Takes the Helm

A New Era for SportsLife Wrestling

by CHAD BONHAM

SportsLife Leadership is making significant strides in the wrestling community with the appointment of Brandon Slay as the Executive Director of its inaugural sport-specific ministry—SportsLife Wrestling.

For Carl Perry, Chief Sport-Specific Officer, inviting Slay to join the team was one of the easiest decisions he has made in his leadership role within SportsLife.

“Brandon and I have partnered together for many years in ministry,” Perry stated. “He has an incredible love for Jesus and for people. Brandon also brings extensive experience in building programs and developing individuals to help them take the next step. His addition as Executive Director immediately elevates SportsLife Wrestling and positions us for long-term success.”

Interestingly, SportsLife Wrestling was not on Slay’s radar just three months prior to Perry’s call. He had previously served on the FCA Wrestling board alongside Perry for 14 years since its inception in 2010 and was immediately intrigued by this new opportunity.

“I have always been passionate about sharing the gospel through wrestling,” Slay remarked. “I cherished those 14 years and know that God accomplished great work through Carl and his staff. The prospect of reconnecting with them and engaging more directly in day-to-day ministry efforts resonated deeply with my heart.”

At the time, Slay was preparing to move his family to Springdale, Arkansas, to launch and become the head coach of the G1 Training Center, a wrestling facility dedicated to “building champions in life through the sport of wrestling by pursuing excellence, serving others, and putting God first.”

“My role there would involve conducting practices in the morning and sometimes later in the evening,” Slay explained. “But when my wife asked what I would do from 10 to 4, I didn’t have an answer. In God’s sovereignty, I received the call from Carl, providing the answer I was looking for.”

Slay brings instant credibility to SportsLife Wrestling, boasting an impressive resume as both an elite athlete and coach. He is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and has also been a two-time NCAA National Runner-Up, an All-American, and a four-time All-Ivy League athlete at Penn. In 2016, he was honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Beyond his accomplishments on the mat, Slay spent eight years in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the Head Coach at the Olympic Training Center and as the National Development Coach for USA Wrestling during the London and Rio Olympics. For the past eight years, he has served as Executive Director and Head Coach of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) in Philadelphia, overseeing athletes through the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

Notable athletes Slay has coached include Kyle Snyder, Joey McKenna, Richard Perry, BJ Futrell, Chase Pami, Mark Hall and Jordan Burroughs.

“It’s really a blank canvas. I’m excited that they’re giving me the freedom and independence to start painting the canvas and taking the ministry wherever God and His wise counsel from other Christians leads me.”

– Brandon Slay

“SportsLife’s mission is to lead the leaders in every sport,” President Dan Britton said. “We believe that working at the highest level in wrestling will create the most significant impact. Brandon’s extensive wrestling history and experience lend immediate credibility in the wrestling community, allowing us to better serve coaches and athletes. He is truly a leader of leaders, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team, where his talents and strengths will expand our ministry globally.”

For Slay, serving as Executive Director of SportsLife Wrestling feels like a natural fit. One reason is his confidence in working with Perry, who Slay describes as a “kindred spirit.”

Although Slay had not yet met Britton or Chief Operating Officer Silas Mullis, he made meaningful connections through a Zoom call, followed by a meeting at the NCAA Wrestling Tournament in Philadelphia, where SportsLife hosted the annual Champions Breakfast.

“I’m eager to learn from leaders like Dan, Silas, Carl, and Mark Stephens (Executive Director of Leader Development),” Slay said. “These gentlemen have been successful sports ministry leaders for many years.”

Slay also credits his degree from the Wharton School of Business in Entrepreneurial Management and his administrative experience in Philadelphia as key factors in his decision to join SportsLife.

“God has placed a passion for entrepreneurship on my heart,” Slay added. “We grew PRTC, a startup nonprofit, substantially over eight years. Now, I feel like I’m transitioning from a successful organization to apply that experience in a similar way with SportsLife Wrestling.”

Although Slay officially joins the staff on June 1, he is already envisioning and planning his leadership role.